Comparison
DHEA vs Fisetin
Side-by-side of DHEA and Fisetin. Every row below is pulled from the compound schema and will update as our data grows. For deeper reads, follow through to each compound page.
DHEA
DHEA supplement profile: adrenal androgen precursor, typical 25-50 mg dose, DHEA-S targets, evidence for adrenal insufficiency and vaginal atrophy, side effec.
Fisetin
Fisetin is a flavonoid found in strawberries with senolytic activity in mouse models. Hickson 2019 confirmed senescent-cell clearance in human adipose tissue.
Effects at a glance
DHEA
- •Adrenal androgen precursor; serum DHEA-S declines progressively after the third decade of life
- •OTC dietary supplement in US under DSHEA 1994; prescription in EU, UK, Canada, Australia
- •FDA approved as Intrarosa (6.5 mg vaginal insert) for postmenopausal dyspareunia in 2016
- •Acts as tissue-specific prohormone converted intracrinologically to testosterone and estrogens
- •Best evidence: adrenal insufficiency replacement and vaginal atrophy; weaker on cognition and longevity
- •WADA banned in competitive sport; banned in NCAA, MLB, NFL, IOC settings
Fisetin
- •Flavonoid found in strawberries; most potent natural senolytic in screening assays (Yousefzadeh 2018)
- •Hickson 2019 confirmed reduced senescent-cell burden in human adipose tissue at 20 mg/kg pulsed for 2 days
- •Pulsed Mayo protocol (20 mg/kg/day x 2 days monthly) is the only dose with human biomarker evidence
- •Daily low-dose (100-500 mg) is mechanistically weaker but commonly used
- •Low oral bioavailability; with-fat dosing modestly improves absorption
- •Active cancer is a relative contraindication pending clearer polyphenol-treatment data
Side-by-side
| Attribute | DHEA | Fisetin |
|---|---|---|
| Category | hormone | supplement |
| Also known as | dehydroepiandrosterone, prasterone, Intrarosa | 3,7,3',4'-tetrahydroxyflavone |
| Half-life (hr) ↗ | 12 | 2 |
| Typical dose (mg) ↗ | 25 | 500 |
| Dosing frequency | daily, typically morning | pulsed 2 days/month (Mayo protocol) or daily continuous (empirical) |
| Routes | oral, vaginal, topical | oral |
| Onset (hr) | 1 | 1 |
| Peak (hr) | 1 | 4 |
| Molecular weight | 288.42 | 286.24 |
| Molecular formula | C19H28O2 | C15H10O6 |
| Mechanism | Steroid prohormone converted intracrinologically to testosterone and estrogens in target tissues; also exerts direct effects via sigma-1 receptor, GABA-A modulation, and glucocorticoid receptor interaction. | Senolytic via Bcl-2 family inhibition (Bcl-xL, Bcl-w); broad polyphenol with Nrf2 activation, mTOR inhibition at high concentrations, and antioxidant effects. |
| Legal status | OTC supplement in US (DSHEA 1994); prescription in EU, UK, Canada, Australia | OTC dietary supplement |
| WADA status | banned | allowed |
| DEA / Rx | OTC supplement in US (not scheduled); Rx in EU, UK, Canada, Australia | OTC supplement |
| Pregnancy | Contraindicated in pregnancy | Insufficient data |
| CAS | 53-43-0 | 528-48-3 |
| PubChem CID | 5881 | 5281614 |
| Wikidata | Q411733 | Q230614 |
Safety profile
DHEA
Common side effects
- acne
- oily skin
- hirsutism (women)
- gynecomastia (men, higher doses)
- irritability
- insomnia
Contraindications
- hormone-sensitive cancer (breast, ovarian, prostate)
- active liver disease
- uncontrolled lipid disorder
- pregnancy and lactation
Interactions
- warfarin: case reports of altered INR; monitor(moderate)
- estrogens (HRT): additive estrogenic effect via conversion; monitor(moderate)
- insulin: may improve insulin sensitivity slightly; monitor glucose(minor)
- anastrozole: may reduce DHEA-derived estrogen; clinical relevance unclear(minor)
Fisetin
Common side effects
- mild GI upset
- headache (rare)
Contraindications
- active cancer (theoretical, polyphenol interactions)
- pregnancy and lactation (insufficient data)
- concurrent CYP3A4-sensitive medications
Interactions
- statins (CYP3A4 substrates): theoretical reduction in statin clearance at high fisetin doses(minor)
- warfarin: theoretical CYP-mediated interaction; monitor INR if combining(moderate)
- other senolytics (rapamycin, dasatinib + quercetin): additive senolytic effect; pairing is investigational(minor)
Which Should You Take?
DHEA comes out ahead for most readers on the criteria we weight: 2 catalogued goals, OTC dietary supplement, oral dosing, with a Tier-A outcome catalogued. Fisetin is the right call when one of the conditionals below applies.
- → If your priority is hormonal optimization, pick DHEA.
- → If your priority is focus or working memory, pick Fisetin.
- → If your priority is healthspan extension, pick DHEA.
Edge case: DHEA is contraindicated in pregnancy; Fisetin is the safer pick if that applies.
Default choice: DHEA. Lower friction to source, a Tier-A evidence outcome catalogued, and broader goal coverage. Reach for Fisetin only if your priority sits squarely in the goals it owns above.
This verdict is generated from each compound's schema (goals, legal status, evidence outcomes, dosing route). It updates automatically as our compound data evolves; the deeper read sits on each individual compound page.
Common questions
What is the difference between DHEA and Fisetin?
DHEA and Fisetin differ in category (hormone vs supplement), mechanism, and typical dosing. See the side-by-side table for full details.
Which has a longer half-life, DHEA or Fisetin?
DHEA half-life is 12 hours; Fisetin half-life is 2 hours.
Can you stack DHEA with Fisetin?
Stack compatibility depends on mechanism overlap, legal status, and individual response. Check each compound page for specific interactions and contraindications before combining.
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